The Lost Tribe 2: Secrets of the crystals

Chapter 7

Branch and Aria wandered up the mountain, the darkness of night creating an eery atmosphere. Branch in particular was nervous, wondering why on earth he had to come with Aria to investigate the sky crystal.

"Ari, just out of curiosity..." Branch asked. "Why did you choose me to come with you?"

"Well we have to be quiet, and the others aren't the best at keeping on the quiet side." Aria said back. "We can't draw attention to ourselves, since I'm not really supposed to be found back here." Branch turned to Aria.

"D-did Zora say what would happen if you returned?" Branch stuttered.

"Oh yeah, she said she would shatter my gem before the whole tribe." Aria replied casually. Branch gulped.

"O-oh..." He shivered.

"So, what's new with you and Poppy?" Aria asked, trying to change the subject. She caught Branch off guard, leaving him slightly surprised about the question.

"Oh...well if you must know, we're celebrating our anniversary on Friday." Branch informed. Aria looked back at him, happy for him.

"That's great!" Aria exclaimed. "Anniversary of what?"

"Since we first fell in love...on our journey to save our friends from bergen town." Branch said bashfully. But his face turned suddenly into a frown.

"What's wrong? Aren't you looking forward to it?" Aria asked.

"I had a huge surprise planned for her...but it got ruined." Branch sighed. Aria looked at him attentively. "Now I have nothing else to give her." Aria didn't know what to say. She just placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"You'll think of something, I just know it!" She assured him.

"Thanks Ari." Branch smiled.

***

The two trolls eventually reached the top of the mountain, just in front of the cave where the great sky crystal was kept. But Aria was confused. The Great Sky Crystal was so bright its golden glow could be seen from far away, yet this time, the cave remained dark. So dark that they couldn't see their own hands in front of their faces.

"That can't be good-OW!" Aria's leg caught against something as she tripped and landed on her front.

"Ari! Are you okay?" Branch asked as he made his hair glow a pale blue color to see what had happened. Aria pushed herself up onto her knees.

"Yeah I'm fine." Aria replied. "What did I trip o..." Aria and Branch froze when they saw that she had just tripped over an unconscious troll.

"AHH!!" They both yelped as they scrambled backwards. Aria stepped forward to investigate the troll.

"Are they dead?" Branch asked nervously. Aria checked the troll's wrist for a pulse, she sighed when she felt eventually felt a slow pulse.

"He's alive, just unconscious." Aria explained. She looked at the troll's gem around his neck. It had the sky symbol engraved into it, a swirled shape almost in the shape of an 's'. "He has a sky guardian." Branch lit his hair up to glow brighter before the two of them gasped sharply. There were more trolls lying unconscious on the cold stone floor. "The guards." Aria sighed. She looked further to see the Great Guardian Crystal fallen on its side, parts of it completely shattered.

"They got to the crystal..." Branch said, horrified.

"Every troll with a sky guardian..." Aria said sadly, before her eyes went wide with horror when she realized something. Her brother has a sky guardian. "Oh no...Ash!" Aria cried as she turned tail and ran towards the cave, Branch following behind. "We have to get to the village!"